Switzerland mobile operator Sunrise has outlined plans to deploy 5G Standalone (5G SA) across its entire 5G mobile network.

The carrier said it will become the first to deploy 5G SA service in the country.

Sunrise noted that the service is not yet live for customers, but will be available during "the course of this year."

Until now, Sunrise's 5G network has been based on existing 4G core networks to manage mobile data connections (known as 5G non-standalone, 5G NSA).

5G SA is not reliant on older mobile generations and solely uses a 5G core network.

With the use of 5G SA, mobile operators are able to deploy network slices, improve latency, and drive advanced Edge computing.

Sunrise was one of the first carriers in the world to launch 5G services when it commenced the service back in April 2019.

"For us, 5G standalone is the foundation that will allow us to develop 5G offerings that enable new communication & entertainment experiences, and new business solutions," said Elmar Grasser, CTO of Sunrise.

"Even though it will be a little while before customers can benefit from these advantages in their everyday digital lives, 5G standalone is sure to drive digitization further – both in business and society. That’s why it's important for us to embrace 5G standalone at an early stage and be primed for the new possibilities it offers."

The operator touted improved 5G connections indoors, more stable voice calls, plus more efficient battery optimization for smartphones.

Sunrise also highlighted the potential of network slicing, which aims to create more dedicated slices of the 5G network for specific use cases, such as broadcasting, first responders, and the logistics industry.

Earlier this week, EE expanded its 5G SA network to more parts of the UK, while Vodafone Spain picked Ericsson to support its 5G SA network in Spain.